Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-08-13
CHArrEs%oarH, Aug. -

most irlgntIul manner, many OF them hay
ing their faces entirely torn away, leavin.
their brains exposed, while their Avs. inger,
and legs had been torn off. The mouths o.
many of the dead we're covered with foam
showing that they died in great agony The
scene in the cars was beyond description
One young child was found fastened near the
roof of the car, head down, where, in tn,
conclusion, il had been thrown, and wa,
dead when taken down. Others were found
10 all conceivable shspes-thrown off theil
seats, piled in ends or aisles of cars anC
bleeding from gashes in the face, arms anC
other portions of the body.
W. Guiker, who was on the train, said he
was reused by the smashing of glass and
breaking of timber, and by shrieks of pain
and cries for help. His car had been tele
scnped and was standing nearly on end, one
END being twenty-five feet in the air He
broke a window and managed to slide down
tue side. Others of the party did the same
The car was sight, rops parted and sides
crushed IN. AT the time of the accident there
were thirty in the car. Six got out alive
Ii was horrible. There were hardy any
lights to be had. There was no water. The
cars caught fire. Willow switches and earth
were used to put the flames out with, he
saw some pathetic sights.
-,
children c!amoring for their parents, wound
ed persons crawling into adj icent cornields
and cries tor water and for help prevailing
on ali sides.
A woman sitting in front of me had her
head taken off
SIX young men from Canton in the from
car were saved by being thrown by the shock
through the parted roof.
PEORIA. Aug H.
w. White of this city, who was in the
second sleeper, says: The fr-t car was
turned at right angles with the rack. and The
remalulng eleven cars we're telescopta and
piled up IN a heap Several of US climbed
upon Il car with axes aud lanterns and went
to work. The FIRST man found was Billy
Stevens the confectioner. lie was dead
We pulled him cut after some effort, and
then pulled his two daughters, Emma and
Ida. out. They were ali dead.
Everyone was crying and groaning Their
feet seemed to be jammed. Most Of Them
had their legs broken. After an hour aud n
half we cleared the car, Probably dozen
bodies ere taken out.
then went down on the ground and assist
ed in taking the dead down. They put up a
plank and helped them out, slding them
down the plank. II they were dead they put
another.
One of the horrible sights was a man well
dressed who was so badly injured that his
bowels were protrudiug He called inces-
sanity for water, and ac he could not be at
tended to he finally drew his revolver ard
shot himself through the head.
One little boy, son of the Methodist minis
ter at Arlington, Frank Snadeikey, about II
years DID, was found on the bosom OF his
dead m other. His left leg hung by the skin,
his right arm was broken and one eye was
put out. He never uttered groan. They
pulled him out and tried to give him a drink
of brandy. lie refused to take it and said
"Glve me water"
found head hanging from toe track.
1t was apparently that of a man and had been
caught by the hair. / found several head.
less bodies. Those who recognized the dead
ticketed them.
CHATTswoRTH, Aug IL.
At seven O'Clock this morning Master Me-
chanic Warren, with a wrecking train and a
large force of men were at work Warren
was confident that the track could be cleared
for trains by noon. They were certain that
all the bodies had been removed from the
wreck.
Other officials of the road were seen this
morning. They have given devoted stten-
ton to the relief of the Injured and care for
the dead. B Jth show signs of the terrible
shock which the accident has been to them.
President Leonard said that so far as the
railroad officials could estimate, there were
about one hundred killed and one hundred
seriously wounitd. There are many who
we're slightly injured of whom no record has
yet been Obtained.
Leonard said that as near as he could as
certaia the train was making about thirty
miles an hour at the time the accident took
place.
Tue bridge, an ordinary fifteen foot struc
ture, WAS all right at five O'Clock in the sfter
noon, when a train passed ov r it, and half
an hour later section men inspected it under
orders in advance of the excursion train. 1t
was all right then.
Estimates of the dead this morning are u1-
changed. The coroners list revised up to
the time OF the inquest, was resumed TODAY,
and foois up rs. survey of the wreck con
| irmed the belief that several bodies are still
under the debris. Three or four of the
wounded, carried to Piper City yesterday,
died there, so that with 76 on the corOner's
! list here and those supposed to be yet under
the wreck the estimate of S4 deaths appears
| to be close to the actual number.
! The horrors of the wreck seemed deepen
| inv eariv this morning instead of lessening
| This morning new facts, apparently showing
| the catastrophe to be the work of an organ
| lied band. came to light, and the company
| find item worthy OF serious investig alton
| Superintendent Armstrong said the more he
investigated the more it appeared to him that
| the bridge was set afire.
! The burned grass in its immediate locality
was not Of nature that seemed likely TO sd
NIT OF the bridge catching from it. He had
/ observed many thieves at work and had
stopped them while despoiling the wreck OF
property and money.
| The excursion had been extensively adver
tised and the lime it would pass over the
bridge was we'll known. Citizens say that a
gang of suspicious fellows have been hanging
| around Chaitsworth for some days. Many
of these were found at work paving more at.
tention to relieving bodies of valuahles than
to caring for them otherwise. Train men
and passengers had frequent contentious with
these men.
While the people of the town have done all
in their power for the sufferers, there is a
horde of tramps and thieves in this vicinity
who do nothing bnt carry off anything they
can get their hands on
About three weeks ago the grass under the
bridge had been cut away for ten feet from
the bridge timbers, and he had no idea how
the bridge could have caught fire.
Christopher Ennis, roadmaster for the line
from the State line to Peoria, said he went
ovay the yoad Wadnesday from Fairburp to